Wrapping-machine.



T. G. McGlRR.

WRAPPNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. I. 191s.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915,

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T. G. MCGIRR.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. I. 1913.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

#SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. G. MCGIRR.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. G. MCGIRR.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man oc,T.1. 1913.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

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THEODORE G. MCGIRR, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 USONA. MACHINE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, 'MASSACHUSETTS A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

WRAPPING-MACHIN E.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led October 1, 1913. Serial No. 792,800.

To all whom z'zf may concern: l

Be it known that I, THEoDoRn G. MCGIRR, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrapping-Machines, of 'which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to wrapping maohines and more especially to a machine for the wrapping of' chocolate drops `or pieces of confectionery which are of a general dome shape. that is of conoidal or hemispherioal form.

rfhe machine is one in which wrapper sheets or sections of tin-foil are successlvely fed in juxtaposition to means which also bring the pieces, one at a time, to a location adjacent the receiving jawsof a carrier and into which each piece, partially wrapped by the sheet, is forced past or through an appli` ance which causes the marginal portions of the sheet to assume a circular or sheath-like' disposition", and to receive a plurality of crimpings on lines defining and facilitating the subsequent infolding, and in which the rotatable carrier conveys the piece, with the wrapper in an inclosing relation about the top and circumferential sides of the piece land with its extension portions extending beyond the exposed face of the piece, past and to the action of appliances which fold or tuck, against the base of the article to be wrapped, the forward and side marginal portions of the wrapper,the rear marginal portion of the wrapper having been inturned against the base of the piece next previous to the forward progressive movement of theVA j illustration of portions ofthe folding ac-y The Ipresent machine, furthermore, em-V bodies improved means for the forward feeding or supplying of'the wrapper material (tinfoil) which is in the form of a very thin and delicate ribbon andwith especial :regard for the positive forward delivery 16, 1912, Serial No. 715,385, and which Inachine lwas especially designed for the wrapping of small rectangular objects such as.

yeast cakes; and while the subject matter of the present machine is in many respects the same as that shown and described in my aforementioned application, there are, nevertheless, radically different and important devices and appliances from some of those in my earlier machine both in respect of the nature of the work to be accomplished' and in the manner of the accomplishment thereof.--

The invention as comprised in a machine for the wrapping of pieces substantially of the form, described, is sufliciently shown in the accompanying drawings,.`described in conjunction therewith, and defined in they.

claims. Y

ln the drawings z-Figure 1 is an elevation of the front. side of the improved machine. j

Fig. Q is a'partial plan view with parts in section,A for illustration of the wrapper feeding devices. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the rotatable carrier wheel and important novel devices coacting therewith. Fig. etv is a partial horizontal section as taken on line 4 4, Fig. 3,-'the section line 3-3 on Fig. 4 indicates in a general way the plane on which the partsy shown in section Fig. 3 are taken. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sectional views, on a larger scale, for

tions, the parts of the machine here appearing in section being taken about onthe' lines 5--5 and 6-6, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of parts understood as behind the rotatable carrier wheel and forespecially indicating the meansby which the movable jaw of each receiver is opened in its proper time, lto permit lthe withdrawaly of the wrapped piece. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rear folder. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing thel appliances which effect the initial partial wrapping of the sheet about the piece, the crimping'of the marginal portions of the sheet'and th e folding ofthe forward and opposite side portions of the sheet which are extended beyond the eX- posedside of the piece. Fig. is an inverted plan view of the circularly apertured plate which forms part of the subject mat-` ter shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan view in illustration of the mechanismA for v the withdrawal of the wrapped pieces from the Y rotatable carrier wheel. Figs.`12, 13, 14, 15

above which is located the rotatable carrierV wheel which is equipped with a circularly arranged series of pairs of receiving jaws for the chocolate drops,.-one jaw 65b of each pair being formed as an integral part of the body of the wheel while the movable jaws 66 are constituted by the suitably formed extremities of the angle levers 68 which are pivotally mounted on the disklike 'body of the wheel and are lnormally held in their closed positions by the springs 69,

The carrier wheel 65 is mounted on theA horizontal shaft 10 which has an intermittent rotative motion imparted thereto in the manner described in the aforementioned application. In the horizontal frame portion A2 under thecenter of the carrier wheel isan aperture a up through which the chocol late drops with a wrapper sheet thereover -are forced by the vertical reciprocatory plunger 19`into the then opened jaws of the carrier in positiontherefor; The wrapper sheet is V.furnished from a supply roll B and fed horizontally over the vaperture of the horizontal portion A2 of the frame,a forward portionof the supply strip suicient to make a wrapper being cut off by the knife or shear 50.

Thev chocolate drops, or other pieces, lrepresented by are carried on a feed belt b, the upper course of whichis -just 'below the horizontal portion A2 of the frame, through a horizontal guide trough b2 and when oppof site the aforementioned aperture a are by the pusher 20,- operated by rack and oscillatory segment, pushed to `a position Aover the head of the vertically reciprocating plunger 19 to be forced by the latter upwardly through the hole a' intol the carrier jaws.

stantially the same as carried out in the machine forming the subject matter lof the aforementioned application.

On the frame portion A2 is a plate C. having a circular hole d therethrough registering with the aforementioned'aperture a., and which hole is of a diameter slightly larger than that of the piece of confectionery which is next under the wrapper sheet forced upwardly therethrough. In the under side of the plate C are spaced notches f f marginally of the hole d which notches are made with their walls or boundaries outwardly convergent and preferably of ratchet shape.

As the wrapper sheet y over the chocolate drop is forced up through the hole d, it hasl its portions extending from more or less near its middle to its margin crimped, somewhat as represented in Fig. 13 of the drawing, and also shown in readiness to be grasped by the lowermost pair of jaws of the rotatable carrier wheel in Fig. 5. This crimping effect is produced by the notched formation of the plate' C marginally of the hole (l shown and above referred to. Directly the movable aw 66 closes to its sufficient, though comparatively slight, gripping action on the piece with the wrapper entirely around it, excepting at its base, below which the crimped wrapper extends, substantially as shown, the rear folder 81 moves forwardly a comparatively short, though sufficient distance, that is to the leftw'ard, as the parts are seen in the drawing, to fold the rear depending portion of thev wrapper inwardly onto the bottom of the candy drop while the latter is still held stationary by the temporary immovable carrier wheel.

The rear folder is pivotally carried at the lower extremity of an arm 79 which is formed as a part of a sector gear 76 and to 'which rockmg reciprocatory movement is imparted by reason of its being affixed on the oscillatoryl shaft 73. The rear folder 81 has as an adjunct thereof a member 83 coacting with a cam 82 lagainstwhich it is held by the spring 80, so that the movement of the rear folder will be substantiallyparallel with and adjacent the plane of the bottom of the candy drop. The oscillatory shaft 73 has loosely or pivotally mounted thereon an annular member 78 provided with an eccentric or cam portion 72 and an abutment 74. The sector 76 meshes with a sector 77 on a stud shaft and which has a roller provided arm 75 coacting with the abutment whereby the'cam is positioned as required for alternately opening and closing each movable jaw of the carrier wheel while each jaw is at`its lowermost position, it being'understood that on one arm of each jaw is a roll or stud 70 with which thecam 72, under its oscillation engages and disengages for the opening of i the jaw and for permitting it to close. The actions thus far referred to are sub- The means above referred to for actuating the rear folder, and the movable jaws of the carrier wheel as they are successively brought to the piece receiving position are substantially the same as described, and shown, particularly in Fig. 18 in my aforementioned application. The rear folder in the present instance is, however, made with Litataa action at the rear of the piece which is of the shape here designated.

. Just forward of the hole d inthe plate C and the position of the lowermost pair of jawsiof the carrier wheel is a stationary member F which is'of less-width than that of the candy piece and the upper face of which is at an upper and -forward inclination adjacent the` circumference of the carrier wheel. l

After the rear part of the wrapper has been folded inwardly under the piece, as represented in Fig. 14,' by the rear folder 81, the next action under the forwardly progressive movement, revolubly of the piece, in relation to the member F, is to secure the inwardly folding in a relatively -rearward direction lof the forward depending portions lof the wrapper onto the bottom of the piece, as seen 1n Fig. 15,--the opposite side depending portions of .the wrapper which in transit escape the comparatively narrow member F, being left in their depending position.

.G G represent .members having locations adjacent the path of movement ofthe revo. luble jaws in opposed relation, having their rear portions separated by a space slightly greater than the diameter of the piece to be wrapped. rlhese members have their inner faces forwardly convergent, the same being approximately helicoidal surfaces,1`nerg-..

ing from surface portions g g at the-rear which are more or less nearly'vertical into a surface at the point It of convergence which on a line transversely thereof is hori-- zontal, the cross sectionally'horizontal portions of the converged members belng continued in an arc shaped extension z', the up- Y per surface of which for a considerable distance is in proximity to the periphery of the carrier wheel.

The opposite side portions of the wrapperv depending below the base of the piece in-the jaws of the carrier, as indicated in Fig. 15; after the lrear and front portions have been inturned, are under the revolubly progressive movement imparted by the Acarrier wheel to the" piece and its wrapper brought to impingement with and to be inwardly crowded by the helicoidal or scroll-like surfaces until coming to and passing beyond the point ofv convergence, at It, of such surfaces all of the portions of the wrapper in turn onto the base of the piece are subjected to a rubbing action in relation to the curved extension z' whereby to be, as 4it were, ironed and.

closing condition at thev set in inwardly bottom of the'piece.

The carrier wheel being moved step .by step, each pair of its jawscontaining a wrapped piece is brought opposite a horizontal .receiving or delivery board J at which place the movable jaw of each pair a lug jor part fixed in suitable .engagements shown at m2.

till

open position as represented in Figs. 1, 3

`and 7, while an ejector for the wrapped piece operates to remove the piece from the jaws and carries it horizontally clear from the latter onto the delivery board.

Each movable jaw is opened, as above stated, by the impingement of the stud or roller against the'inclined or .cam face of position on a supporting part of the frame.

The ejector is shown in side and sectional elevations and in planrespectively in Figs. 1, 3 and 11 and is loca-ted in proximity to the delivery board or trough J. This, as shown, consists in a pair of opposite horizontal flat lever arms m m pivotally mounted at n n on suitable bracket supports therefor, and extending in approached relations one to another. Closely beneath these lever arms lm, m, are a pair of horizontal rack bars v0V o with the lteeth of which at their under .rack bars and arms m have stud and slot The range of movement of the pair of ejector arms m mis indicated in` Fig. 11, the

Yfulllines showing them as behind the jaws,

while the dotted lines show their outward positions and indicating the -extent to which the wrapped piece 'is positively .outwardly moved onto the delivery-board.

Inasmuch as the wrapped pieces are presented successively at a location adjacent the inner end of the delivery board'withthe. greater portion of the' -bu'llr of the pieces above the level of such board and with the pieces axially horizontal, radially of the carrier wheel, their bases, of course, being vertical, I provide a shoulder or abutment fr, Figs. 3 and 11at the inner end of the delivery board against which the lower corner 1 of the'wrapped vpiece in being withdrawn by the ejector arms m engages wherebyl it is partially overturned in a manner representedrby the full and dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to have its bottom rest upon the delivery board or trough, conducing to unformity of positioning of the pieces in their discharge and the avoidance of their becoming ruptured, distorted or in vany way injured.

rllhe strip of foil passes from the supply roll` B which isloose'ly mounted for rota- Vtion in the bracket M downwardly around and then upwardly from the roller N carried aov on an approximately horizontal arm t of an elbow lever which is pivoted at t2 on the side of the frame. Bearing on the top of the supply roll B is anarrow roller P which is carried in a forked yoke P2 which is loosely pivotally mounted on a horizontal shaft u. On the said shaft and on the arbor of the roller P which is carried in the yoke are sprocket wheels w and L02 around which runs a sprocket chain w3. Said shaft a is driven from the suitably driven shaft k by the gear wheels Q and Q2 through a friction clutch Q3. The gear wheel Q2 is pinned, keyed, or otherwise Xed to the member .Q4 of the friction clutchwhiclf is loose, on the shaftnu, while the companion member Q5 hasa pin and slot connection with the shaft indicated at Q6 whereby in effect it is slidable axially of the shaft but constrained to rotate in unison therewith; and this member Q5 of the friction clutch is by the spring Q7 pressed against the member Q4 with suflicient firmness to cause, ordinarily, the rotation ofthe shaft u because of the rotation of the gear wheel Q2 and clutchmember Q4.

The angle lever comprises an upstanding i arm t3 which bears against the hub of the Aclutch member Q5 either very lightly or with a considerable pressure according to the condition of the supply strip at its bight in envgagementl around the roller N of the lever arm t.I

In case the supply strip is runningin just about the amount required and as taken care of by the feed rolls 29,32 (provided in the samesituation and for the same mode of Iaction as in the machine described in my former application), the approximately horizontal arm tof the bell crank lever will be held in such elevation as to relieve the pressure by the upstanding arm t3 against the .hub of the friction clutch member Q5; but in case by undue momentum or other cause the supply strip -is run off from the supply roll undulyfast and so there will be a sagging or slackening at the roll N, then the-bell crank lever will automatically swing so that its upstanding arm t5 will act as a 'brake to prevent the rotation of such memtion imparting action on the body of the supply roll B, preventing stretching and distortion of the wrapping material of the aio ' character described.

I'claim:- 1. In aywrapping machine, in combinal ytion, a rotatable carrier having a. series of circumferentially arranged and spaced, coacting pairs of fixed and movable jaws, and means for periodically opening and closrelation thereto are entered, into, and to bel engaged by, the jaws of the carrier, and a 'stationary member of less width than the piece, arranged adjacent the path of movement of said jaws forward of and having a width less than that of said circular hole and operable to fold the forward portion of the wrapper against the exposed side of the piece.

2. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a rotatable carrier having a. series of circumferentially arranged and spaced, coacting fixed and movable jaws, and means for pe riodically opening and closing the movable jaws, a.v plate having a circular opening under 4the position of the carrier where its movable jaw is temporarily opened, means for feeding a piece and a wrapper sheet through said opening, whereby the piece and sheet in partially wrapped relation thereto are entered, into, and to be engaged by, the jaws of the carrier, means for folding the rear portion of the wrapper against the exposed side of the piece, and a stationary lmember of less width than the piece, ar-

ranged adjacent the path of movement of said jaws forward of, and havingl a width less than that of, said circular hole and operable to fold the forward portion of the wrapper against the side of the piece.

3. 'In a wrapping machine, in combina tion, a rotatable carrier having a series of circumferentially arranged and spaced, coacting fixed and movable jaws, and means for ,periodically opening and closing the movable jaws, a plate-having a circular opening under the position of the carrier where its movable jaw isv temporarily opened, means for feeding a piece and a wrapper sheet through said opening, whereby the piece and sheet in partially wrapped relation thereto are entered, into, and to be engaged by, the jaws of the carrier, a stationary member of less width than the piece,

arranged adjacentthe path of movement of said jaws forward of and having a width less than that of said circular hole and operable to fold the forward portion of the wrapper against the exposed side of the piece, and means for folding opposite side port-ions of the wrapper also against the piece.

4. In a wrapping machine, in combination, a 'rotatable' carrier having a series of circumferentially arranged and spaced, coacting liXed and' movable jaws, and means for periodically opening and closing the movable jaws, a plate having a circular opening under the position of the carrier where its movable jaw is temporarily opened, means for feeding a and a wrapper sheet throughA said openmg, whereby the piece and sheet in partially wrapped relation thereto are entered, into, and to. be engaged by, the jaws of the carrier, a stationary member of less width than the piece, arran'ged adj acent'the path of movement of said jaws forward of, and having a width less than that of, said circular hole and operable to fold the forward portion of the wrapper against the exposed side of the piece, and means for folding the rear portion of the wrapper also against the side of the piece.

5. ln al machine for wrapping pieces ofv substantially theshapenescribed, in combination, a movable carrier having a device for receiving and holding a piece to be wrapped and a sheet in partially wrapped condition about the piece, means for forcing a p-iece and the sheet into the receiving device, and means for causing the sheet to assume its partially wrapped condition relatively to the piece with its marginal portions extended beyond the exposed side of the latter, means for imparting crimpings to the sheet, and means for folding the-extension portions of the sheet to overlie the exposed face of the piece.

6. ln a machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in combination, a rota-table carrier wheel having a series of `peripherally arranged pairs of fixed and movable jaws and means for periodically opening and closing said jaws, a

pla-te. having a circular hole therein at av position under that to which thejaws are successively brought, provided with spaced notches in its under slde marginally of the hole therethrough, and means for forcing the pieces in conjunction with Wrapper sheets therefor upwardly through said circular hole and into the jaws of the rotatable carrier.

7. ln a machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in combination, a movable carrier having a device for receiving and holding a piece to be wrappedv and a sheet in partially wrapped condition above the piece, means for forcing a piece and the sheet into the receiving device, and means for cau-sing the sheet to assume its partially wrapped condition relatively to the iece with its marginal portions extended eyond the exposed side of the latter, means for imparting crimpings to the sheet, and Stationary members, past which the partially wrapped piece is carried, for folding the forward and lateral extension portions of the sheet to overlie rthe exposed face of the piece. Y

8. ln a machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in coml@ bination, a rotatable carrier wheel having a series of peripherally arranged pairs of fixedv and movable jaws and means for periodically opening and closing said jaws, a plate having a circular hole therein at a position under where the jaws are successively brought, provided with spaced notches in its under side marginally of the hole therethrough, which notches are radially convergent, and means for forcing the pieces in conjunction with wrapper sheets therefor upwardly through said circular hole and into the jaws of the rotatable carrier.

9. In a machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in combination, 'a movable carrier provided with pairs of jaws progressively movable therewith, and jaw actuating means, means for feeding pieces to be wrapped and wrapper sheets in partially` wrapped relation to the pieces to positions for engagement by said jaws, and members, having locations adjacent the path of movement of the jaws, in opposed relations, having their rear portions separated by a space as great as the diameteriof the piece to be wrapped, and forwardly convergent, and also forwardly merging from their rear surfaces, which are vertical to a surface which is horizontal.

10. In a. machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in combination, a movable carrier provided with pairs of jaws progressivelv movable therewith, and jaw actuating means, means for feeding pieces to be wrapped and wrapper sheets in partially Wrapped rela-tions to the 100 pieces to positions for engagement by said jaws, members, having locations adjacent the path of movement of the jaws, in opnosed relations, having their rear portions separated by av space as great as the diameter 105 of the piece to be wrapped,'and forwardly convergent, and also forwardly merging from their surfaces, which are vertical 'to a surface which is horizontal, and means for folding the rearward and forward extension 110 portions of the wrapper against the side of the piecee 1l. lln a machine for wrapping pieces of substantially the shape described, in combination, a movable carrier provided with pairs of jaws progressivelymovable therewith, and jaw actuating means, and means for feeding pieces to be wrapped and wrapper sheets in'partially wrapped relation to lthe pieces to positions Vfor engagement by Awardly convergent and also forwardly merging from their rearward vertical surfac which are vertical to a surface which is horizontal, said horizontal surface into which lthe separated surfaces are merged being continued forwardly beyond the point of convergence.

l2. In a machine for the wrapping of pieces of substantially the form described, in

combination, a rotatable carrier having a series of pairs of jaws, Aone of each thereof being movable for opening and closing relations to the other, and for receiving the wrapped pieces therein, of a delivery supportadjacent to which pairs of jaws are successively brought, presenting the piece axially horizontal and radially of the wheel, means operative for the withdrawal of the pieces from said jaws onto the delivery support radially of the wheel, and means for causing a partial overturning of the piece lcoming onto the said support.

13. In a machine for the wrapping of pieces, in combination, a rotatable carrier havingY aseries of pairs of jaws,-one o1 each thereof being movable for opening and closing relations to the other,-and for receiving the wrapped pieces therein, of a delivery support adjacent to which pairs of the jaws are successively brought, apair of arms in opposed relations mounted to swing in a horizontal plane to pass within the open jaws behind the piece and in outwardly swinging to have approached relations to engage the piece, a pair of horizontally guided rack bars having stud-and-slot engagements with said arms, and a rock shaft having sector gears in mesh with said rack bars.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass., in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEoDoR G, Meeinn. Witnesses:

G. R. DRIscoLL, WM. F. BELLowS. 

